In general, a car navigation device equipped in an automobile has a location function, a route guidance function, and a peripheral facility search function. The location function is for detecting the present position of the self-vehicle and superimposing the detected present position on a map indicated on a display device. The route guidance function is for searching for a recommended path to a destination specified by a user (driver) and guiding the user to the destination. The peripheral facility search function is for searching for a specified facility around the destination or the present position from a database according to a keyword such as a genre of the facility specified by the user. In recent years, an electric vehicle, which includes a driving motor energized by a battery (rechargeable battery) as a power source, and a plug-in type hybrid vehicle are generally used in order to cope with environmental and energy problems. A battery of such a vehicle can be charged at home by using, for example, a home power source. It is noted that an infrastructure such as a charge station and a parking lot having an external charge facility is being upgraded. Thereby, a paid service for charging a battery of such a vehicle will be available outside a house. For example, JP-A-2009-42095 and JP-A-2009-30993 propose an electric vehicle and a hybrid vehicle equipped with a solar cell for converting sunlight energy into electricity and storing electricity generated by the solar cell in a battery.
JP-A-2009-42095 proposes a navigation device configured to suggest a position where a vehicle is to be parked in a parking lot having a charge facility area, a sunlight charge area, and the like. JP-A-2009-30993 proposes a navigation device having a peripheral facility search function configured to search a parking lot having an external charge facility and guide a user to the searched parking lot. JP-A-2007-199034 and JP-A-2000-353295 disclose an automobile, which is equipped with a solar cell and a battery for storing generated electricity, and a navigation device for the automobile. The navigation device is configured to guide a path where a sunshine condition is excellent, and a solar cell can efficiently generate electricity. In the disclosure, the automobile is neither an electric vehicle nor a hybrid car. In such a vehicle (automobile) including a battery used as a power source of a driving motor and a solar cell, a user (driver) may want to charge the battery in preparation for next traveling, while parking the vehicle at a parking lot. When a solar cell of the self-vehicle is used for generating electricity to carry out the charge, electric fee is unnecessary thereby to carry out the charge cheaply. However, charge using the solar cell takes a long time. Alternatively, when a paid external charge facility is used for charge, the charge may be completed within a short time, though it requires a usage fee. It is predicted that the capability of the external charge facility, such as whether the external charge facility is configured to perform quick charge, and a usage fee for the external charge facility may differ among parking lots. Therefore, it is desirable that a user is provided with information for choosing a parking lot where the user parks the vehicle. Specifically, the information is about a charge quantity, by which the battery can be charged relative to a target charge quantity during the vehicle is parked in the condition where a solar cell is used or an external charge facility is used, and a cost required when an external charge facility is used. With the information, a user can make a determination whether charge using the solar cell is enough or whether charge using an external charge facility is better even though it requires payment.
JP-A-2007-199034 merely teaches an art to suggest a suitable parking position in a parking lot where the vehicle goes into. That is, JP-A-2007-199034 is irrelevant to selection of a parking lot. JP-A-2000-353295 merely teaches an art to search for parking lots near the self-vehicle position and indicate the searched parking lots. That is, JP-A-2000-353295 is irrelevant to information about a charge cost (price), which a user refers to when selecting a parking lot.